In the ongoing E. Jean Carroll defamation lawsuit against former President Donald Trump, Judge Lewis Kaplan recently denied Trump’s plea to stay the judgment while he prepares for pretrial actions. Trump had called for such a stay less than a fortnight earlier, stating that a bond of $91.5 million should not have to be posted due to his personal wealth guaranteeing Carroll’s funds. The final judgment in the case amounts to $83.3 million against Trump.
The judge disregarded Trump’s request, attributing his current situation to his “own dilatory actions.” Trump had since January 26 to prepare his finances in anticipation of the need to post a bond. Despite this, he only made his request for a bond 25 days after the jury verdict, shortly before the completion of Rule 62’s 30-day automatic stay of the judgment.
An extract from the judge’s statement reads: “…the expense of ongoing litigation in the absence of a stay does not constitute “irreparable injury” in the relevant sense of that term. Nor has Mr. Trump made any showing of what expenses he might incur if required to post a bond or other security… Accordingly, his present application for a temporary administrative stay is denied.”
However, after the denial of his application, Trump successfully posted a supersedeas bond of $91.6 million, financed by Chubb, his long-standing insurance brokers. This bond effectively suspends the enforcement of the judgment until the appeal is resolved.
If the appeal to the Second Circuit fails, Carroll could directly collect from the courthouse, circumventing the need to retrieve the funds from Trump directly. This, of course, is a scenario reserved for another day, based on the eventual outcome of the proceeding.
In the case of Carroll v. Trump on the court docket, there remains a long journey for both parties involved. Refer to the docket for the most recent legal documentation and updates.